Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to concentrators, and, more specifically, to an oxygen concentrator for mechanical ventilation.
Description of the Related Art
An oxygen concentrator is a mechanical device that filters nitrogen out of atmospheric air to produce fluid with a higher concentration of oxygen. The oxygen is delivered to a user via a delivery device, such as an oxygen mask or nasal cannula. Conventional oxygen concentrators output oxygen to users at pressures between 5 and 8 pounds per square inch gage (psig). Generally, during operation, such oxygen concentrators rely on one or more compression pumps that force air through a zeolitic sieve bed that adsorbs nitrogen. Pressurized oxygen is driven out of the zeolitic sieve bed and is stored in a product tank for delivery to the user.
One drawback of conventional oxygen concentrators is that certain types of delivery devices, such as smaller varieties of nasal cannula, require higher pressures in order to ensure effective oxygen delivery to the user. Under normal operating conditions, a conventional oxygen concentrator cannot provide high pressures, and so delivery devices designed for those high pressures cannot be used with conventional oxygen concentrators, thereby limiting usability.
One solution to this problem is to increase the rate with which the compression pumps operate, thereby increasing the pressure of oxygen within the product tank. However, this technique is generally problematic because increasing pump speed may cause undue mechanical fatigue, thereby reducing the overall lifetime of the oxygen concentrator. In addition, increasing pump speed generally increases power consumption. With portable oxygen concentrators that rely on battery power, an increase in power consumption may result in a corresponding increase in battery size, which reduces portability, or a decrease in operating time, which limits usability.
As the foregoing illustrates, what is needed in the art is an oxygen concentrator that more effectively delivers relative to conventional oxygen concentrators.